Baseball

New York’s Long Day of Baseball

Flushing, NY – From the Bronx to Flushing, Queens and the difference of course the Yankees finishing the string with a Al Wild Card game set for Yankee Stadium next Tuesday night. The Mets continue to put that contingency lineup on the field and analyze what has to be done during the long and busy offseason.

So from Yankee Stadium to Citi Field it was that busy Monday baseball day and evening in New York, and all due to makeup baseball games that made it a bonanza for a fan. The highlight of course was the Yankees one game meeting with the Kansas City Royals and Aaron Judge establishing a new rookie record for home runs with 50.

That said, the Yankees who were not expected to play in October will do so. And for the Mets, who were full of expectations there are two more games with the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field and three at Philadelphia this weekend before packing for the Winter.

Three games in New York and on the same day, reminiscent of the days when three teams played baseball in New York with the Yankees, Giants, and Dodgers. But this was necessitated because of makeup baseball and of course the schedule maker has this habit of scheduling both teams more often that causes a conflict.

For the Mets, a split of their doubleheader showed again what has to be done. These final few games will determine the future of manager Terry Collins and it is expected there will be a change in the dugout, and by no means should be at fault for the injuries and bad luck that made a promising season go bad.

Collins is still managing these games as if the Mets are in a pennant race. Two games at Citi Field and Collins made the moves as the manager always says, “We are here to win ballgames.”

The Braves will likely finish ahead of the Mets in the standings. They, too will be in transition this offseason with a possible new GM and manager. And the roster, similar to the Mets is also full of youngsters as they took a look at lefthander Max Fried on the mound in the nightcap.

Fried is one of three rookie left handers who made a start for Atlanta this season along with Luis Gohara and Sean Newcomb. Fried worked a career high 5.1 innings in his third career start and allowed two runs, one earned struck out two and walked one. He has allowed two runs or fewer in two of his three major league starts this season.

“His confidence is really up,” Collins said about Travis d’Arnaud who hit his 16th home run of the4 season with a solo shot in the eighth inning that paved the way for a Mets 3-2 win in the nightcap.

He added, “You take these bats with you all winter long.” And for d’Arnaud this is important as he competes with Kevin Plawecki for the starting job behind the plate next season.: That is what these games are about now for the New York Mets as they try and win some of these remaining games in the schedule.

After the first game 9-2 loss, the makeup and with minimal fans in the stands, the Mets lost their 90th game of the season and the last time that had 90 or more in the wrong column was in 2009 when they lost 92.

Seth Lugo had another impressive outing in the nightcap and that counts as a positive after tossing 6.0 scoreless innings.

“I feel good,” he said. “It’s always good to finish off strong.” For the Mets that is the agenda to finish off with some respectability and count the days again to spring training and d’Arnaud offered some hope and so did Lugo.

And for the Yankees it’s six more games in the Bronx that will be about postseason preparation now that Aaron Judge made baseball history.